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Hasselblad CFV-50 sample raw

torger

Active member
I've been looking for a sample raw file from Hasselblad CFV-50 but not succeeded to find one. Someone here that can help me out?

The CFV-50 is a candidate for upgrade, but I need to see how well the raw files work in the third-party tools I prefer to use, like RawTherapee and Lumariver HDR.
 

tjv

Active member
I'm really keen to get my hands on one too, particularly an image taken using a tech camera. I have contacted Hasselblad several times for samples but they don't respond!

I'd really like to use one on my Linhof Techno and it seems a great back for the money with the features I need and none that I can't do without.
 

torger

Active member
I have mainly two candidates for upgrade from the Aptus 75 I have now, 1) Hasselblad CFV-50 and 2) Leaf Aptus-II 10.

The advantages of the Hasselblad from my point of view is that 49x37 50 megapixels is a form factor that suits my work very well (and is my ground glass scoring), as it's a CFV back it can be expected to have more stable value due to the V system's value among collectors, and here in Sweden Hasselblad has good representation. I also have good experience from other Hasselblad backs working in the cold. The disadvantages is that the display/built-in demosaicer is not good enough for critical sharpness check, and that the Kodak sensor is not fully as good as the Dalsa in pure technical terms.

The advantages of the Leaf Aptus-II 10 is that I'm used to the interface, it has working 100% sharpness check and it has the Dalsa 6um technology, and its price/performance is likely one of the best out there, especially now when Aptus-II has been discontinued and thus lost some of its attraction among pro photographers. The disadvantages is that the 56x36mm format (3.1:2) is not to my liking so I'll nearly always need to crop in post-processing which takes away a little bit of the shooting satisfaction (having everything "right" directly out of camera is a special kind of satisfaction, and with a 56x36mm sensor that won't be happening as often).
 

tjv

Active member
The aptus ii range does seem great, I've been having this conversation privately with Geoff offline. I couldn't live with the 3:2 ratio sensor, but a good screen capable if critical focus checking is pretty necessary. The IQ160 is my ultimate choice, but the price will remain out of my league for quite some time I imagine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

torger

Active member
The Aptus and Aptus-II is as far as I know unique in terms of a working critical sharpness check if you compare to other backs from the same time period.

Otherwise you need to get to as recent backs as Phase One IQ, Leaf Credo, Hasselblad H5(?) to get that. One of the big mysteries of medium format is that display technology and design lagged so much up to then.

The problem is not really the old small low res displays though, they are good enough for the task, but all manufacturers but Leaf prioritized a fast zoom and thus made a fuzzy demosaicer at 100% instead of a sharp one, and thus you can't differ between a almost sharp and a tack sharp image. As medium format has since start and still today is very oriented towards tethered shooting in the studio most users have not missed the feature too much I suppose. You could always check sharpness on the directly attached computer.

One alternative that might become feasible quite soon is some sort of tablet with a firewire interface and run tethered in the field. To be a real option I'd like to have a 5-7 inch tablet rather than a large one or laptop. But tablets of that kind won't work in the cold of course...

I'm quite sure I'll do very few mistakes these days even without sharpness check though, so I'm swaying back and forth between what's worse, working with 3.1:2 format or lack sharpness check.

In any case I need that CFV-50 raw to evaluate how I can work with the files.
 

tjv

Active member
Any luck with finding someone obliging enough to send a sample raw to evaluate? I've been searching the net on a lazy Saturday afternoon and notice this back is now at a very attractive price. It'd be great to see some samples shot with a tech camera, as that's what I'd love to use one with.
 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
If you tell me exactly what you expect the file should show , I will try to shoot some files . CFV-50 .
Object , Lens , Aperture Serie and how the file(s) can be sent .
 

tjv

Active member
Hi Jurgen,
That's a great offer, thank you!
I'm a documentary shooter and photograph a wide range of subjects. If you would be able to share a photograph of an urban landscape with fine details like bricks and textured concrete and / or a general landscape that demonstrates the colour rendering of foliage etc. I'd be very, very grateful.
Thanks again for your help!
 

torger

Active member
I did get a test file, but I must ask the owner if I can share it further. It was however as a test for processing in my various tools rather than an image quality test, so the subject is not very telling about image rendition, probably better to get additional files for that. I'm myself not worried about that part though.

Concerning processing, even the open source tools can read the format and provide good color as it seems but borders need to be adjusted. Not a problem.
 

tjv

Active member
What did you decide regarding the CFV–50, Torger? What was your impression of the file, or did you evaluate the RAW purely on if it'd fit into your workflow? Being a fellow Techno shooter, I'm interested to know.

I did get a test file, but I must ask the owner if I can share it further. It was however as a test for processing in my various tools rather than an image quality test, so the subject is not very telling about image rendition, probably better to get additional files for that. I'm myself not worried about that part though.

Concerning processing, even the open source tools can read the format and provide good color as it seems but borders need to be adjusted. Not a problem.
 

torger

Active member
I only evaluated the RAW workflow so I know if I should continue to have it on my list on potential backs, and yes it's still on the list. My next step is/was trying to get my paws on it and actually see how the user interface is. The nearest dealer has one which they want to sell to reduced price, but that price is still way too high compared to the second hand market.

Now I'm thinking of getting a new Schneider 60XL lens instead and stay low with back upgrade for a while. But it depends on what appears on the second hand market, it can be hard for me to stay away from a good deal :)

The CFV-50 and Aptus-II 10 is my short list backs. I expect the image quality of the Aptus Dalsa sensor to be slightly better than the CFV Kodak (a little better DR, a little better tonality), but not so I will suffer from it. The advantage of the CFV compared to the Aptus is it's sensor format (4:3 vs 3.1:2), 3.1:2 is not a format I like to work with. One day I prefer the CFV-50, another day I prefer the Aptus-II 10... if the CFV-50 had a 100% zoom that worked for sharpness check I'd prefer it every day for sure, but as far as I know it does not. I'd like to see it with my own eyes though. I don't think I really need sharpness check but as I have it now with my Aptus 75 and got used to having it it's a feature hard to drop.
 

tjv

Active member
Just want to say a massive thanks to the forum members how PM'ed me and shared their files for me to evaluate. They were a massive help and provided me with exactly the information I was after.

The files, IMHO, were absolutely stunning. I'm a bit of a die hard film shooter, and these files are right up there for sure.
 
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